HR specialist pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical hr specialist pay ranges from $63,170 in Oklahoma City, OK to $112,140 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Washington, DC, Seattle, WA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Human Resources Specialists, SOC 13-1071).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $112,140 | $73,800 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $100,830 | $68,100 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $92,770 | $66,700 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $103,140 | $65,800 |
| 5 | San Antonio, TX | $72,930 | $63,500 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $75,860 | $63,400 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO | $75,190 | $63,100 |
| 8 | Charlotte, NC | $78,330 | $63,000 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $90,270 | $62,800 |
| 10 | Hartford, CT | $82,920 | $62,500 |
| 11 | Memphis, TN | $69,150 | $62,300 |
| 12 | Richmond, VA | $79,340 | $62,200 |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $75,440 | $61,500 |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $74,970 | $60,900 |
| 15 | Houston, TX | $72,550 | $60,700 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $82,550 | $60,400 |
| 17 | Cincinnati, OH | $73,010 | $60,400 |
| 18 | Buffalo, NY | $74,510 | $60,400 |
| 19 | Virginia Beach, VA | $76,240 | $60,200 |
| 20 | Jacksonville, FL | $71,850 | $59,700 |
| 21 | Raleigh, NC | $74,170 | $59,600 |
| 22 | Providence, RI | $76,930 | $59,600 |
| 23 | Louisville, KY | $71,880 | $59,500 |
| 24 | Cleveland, OH | $70,900 | $59,400 |
| 25 | St. Louis, MO | $71,670 | $59,000 |
| 26 | Minneapolis, MN | $80,330 | $58,600 |
| 27 | Sacramento, CA | $80,950 | $58,600 |
| 28 | Atlanta, GA | $75,410 | $58,500 |
| 29 | Nashville, TN | $67,380 | $58,400 |
| 30 | Chicago, IL | $78,210 | $58,000 |
| 31 | Baltimore, MD | $82,380 | $58,000 |
| 32 | Las Vegas, NV | $69,950 | $57,900 |
| 33 | Phoenix, AZ | $74,640 | $57,800 |
| 34 | Birmingham, AL | $67,880 | $57,600 |
| 35 | New York, NY | $89,780 | $57,400 |
| 36 | Salt Lake City, UT | $74,410 | $57,300 |
| 37 | Detroit, MI | $75,830 | $57,200 |
| 38 | Dallas, TX | $70,700 | $56,800 |
| 39 | Riverside, CA | $76,570 | $56,200 |
| 40 | Philadelphia, PA | $76,700 | $56,100 |
| 41 | San Diego, CA | $81,300 | $56,000 |
| 42 | Oklahoma City, OK | $63,170 | $56,000 |
| 43 | Portland, OR | $80,100 | $55,900 |
| 44 | Indianapolis, IN | $67,300 | $55,200 |
| 45 | Los Angeles, CA | $80,220 | $54,600 |
| 46 | Tampa, FL | $65,580 | $54,400 |
| 47 | Orlando, FL | $65,430 | $54,000 |
| 48 | Grand Rapids, MI | $65,760 | $53,900 |
| 49 | Pittsburgh, PA | $65,260 | $53,400 |
| 50 | Miami, FL | $67,580 | $49,400 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays HR specialists the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical hr specialist pay among the 50 largest US metros: $112,140 a year. The lowest is Oklahoma City, OK at $63,170. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does hr specialist pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical hr specialist pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Washington, DC, Seattle, WA. It goes the least far in Miami, FL, where it's worth about $49,400 in typical-US-city dollars.